Combination chair and couch.



Patantpd Sept. 24, I901.

B. FRANKLIN.

COMBINATION CHAIR AND COUCH.

(Application filed May 26. 1900.;

(N0 Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, OF ROCHESTER, NEl/V YORK.

COMBINATION CHAIR AN D COUCH.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 683,032, dated September 24, 1901.

7 Application filed May 26,1900. Serial No. 18,116. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Combination Chair and Couch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to convertible chairs, and more particularly to that class of chairs which can be changed from a chair to a couch; and it has for its object to provide a device of this kind which can be easily operated and which will be comfortable when used either as a chair or a couch and can be so constructed as to be easily manufactured and will be of sufficient strength to prevent its being readily broken or rendered inoperative.

With these objects in View my invention consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement of parts of a combined chair and couch, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the views in which they occur, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chair embodying my invention, showing it in different positions. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same when used as a chair. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section showing the connection of the arms to the standard, and Fig. 4 is a side View of the same with parts broken away.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, 1 indicates the main portion or frame of the chair, which may be of any desired size and proportion and be plain or ornamented to suit the fancy. The back 2 of the chair is pivotally secured to the rear portion of the seat 3 by any suitable form of hinge and has its arm 4 pivotall y secured thereto at 5 at its rear end and pivotally secured at its forward end to the upright or standard 6. These parts are so arranged and adjusted relatively to each other that when the back occupies its vertical position, as shown in Fig.1, the arm will occupy the usual position above the sides of the seat; but when the back is lowered into its horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the arm will be drawn down until it lies adjacent to the side of the back and of the seat, where it will be out of the way for using the chair as a couch. The back is held in its desired positions by means of a suitable lock 7, which is adapted to engage with the two cylindrical portions 8 and'9 of the arm and standard, respectively, and which are pivotally secured at their center by means of the pin 10. One form of this look consists of a series of bolts 11, which fit within recesses in the cylindrical portion 9 at the upper end of the standard 6.

Normally these bolts are held with their ends flush between the cylindrical portions 9 of the arm so long as they do not register with openings 12 in said cylindrical portions. Located in one of the openings 12 is ashort plunger 13, which is normally forced inwardby a spring 14, which is held Within the opening by means of a screw-threaded plug 15. Fitting within the other opening is a push button or rod 16. With the parts arranged in this manner it will be evident that whenever one of the bolts 11 comes into register with the openings 12 the spring 14 will instantly expand and force the plunger 13 into engagement with the bolt, and thereby force the opposite end of the bolt out of the opening in the standard into the inner portion of the opening in the arm, thereby locking the parts together upon that side, the plunger locking them together upon the opposite side by projecting from the opening 12 into the opening in the upper end of the standard. When it is desired to change the position of the back, the push-button 16 is forced inward until the ends of the bolts 11 are fiushwith the sides of the standard, when the back can be moved into its desired position. As soon as the back has been placed in the desired position and pressure has been removed from the push-button the spring 14 will instantly force the plunger and the bolts 11 into their engaging or locking'positions and rigidly hold the back against further movement in either direction.

The upper end of the back is provided with a hinged portion 24, which isconnected with the leg 25 by means of the pivoted brace-rod 26, so that when the back is placed in ahorizontal position and the leg 25 is swung down into its vertical position for supporting the same the hinged portionIwill be slightly raised above the horizontal to form a pillow or support for the head, as shown in the drawings. The back of the chair is of such a width that when the portion 24:- is hinged at the upper edge and the leg and brace are hinged to the lower edge the downward movement of the leg 25 will cause but a slight upward movement of the pillow. \Vhen the back is raised to its vertical position, the leg 25 is swung upon its pivotal point until it lies within the plane of the back of the chair and is secured in that position by a suitable lock 27, the lock being preferably formed from a bolt which engages with the lower end of the leg and holds it rigidly in that position. When the leg is in its closed position, the brace-rod 26 will have been drawn down so as to lie perfectly parallel with the leg, and thereby hold the hinged portion 24 in alineinent with the back of the chair.

Mounted within guideways 28, so as to be movable back and forth underneath the seat, is an extension 29, the outer end of which is provided with a hinged foot-rest 30, the upper surface of the extension or platform being recessed for the reception of the footrest when in its closed position. Pivotally secured to the under side of the extension are brace-rods 31, the rear ends of the rods being provided with lateral extensions 32, which are adapted to engage with forwardlyprojecting teeth 33 in the upper edge of the bars 34. The bars are preferably located directly below the rungs of the chair 35, so that when thefree ends of the brace are lifted out of the notches the rungs will prevent their being moved up farther than just sufficient to clear the tops of the teeth. The forward ends of the grooves or guides 28 terminate in I position to be forced longitudinally against shoulders,against which pins 36 upon the sides of the platform at the rear engage when the platform has been drawn forward as far as it will go. When the platform is in this extended position, it can be arranged at any de-' sired angle relatively to the seat of the chair by causing the free ends of the brace-rods 26 to engage with one of the teeth upon the bars 24. The foot-rest 30 can be extended or collapsed when the platform occupies any position, although it is evident that it must be closed before the platform can be pushed in under the seat as far as it will go.

The platform or extension is preferably formed from slats secured together by any flexible means, as strips of steel or other material, as shown in Fig. 6. This permits of the outer end being bent down at substantially rightangles at any point of its extension, thereby adapting it as a foot-rest for persons whose feet could not reach it if it could only hang perpendicular when extended to its full length.

As above described, it will be seen that my improved chair and couch will form a very comfortable and convenient article of furniture and one that can be quickly changed from an ordinary chair to that of a couch or to an intermediate position by simply unlocking the cylindrical portions of the arm of the chair and moving the back up or down, as desired. By extending the platform part or all of its length when the back is in its horizontal position the couch can be made of any desired length, and by extending it its full length when the back of the chair is vertical and arranging it at any desired angle a very convenient foot-rest and support can be secured.

Although I have shown what I consider to be the most desirable form of constructing my improved chair and couch, yet I reserve the right to make such changes and alterations therein as will come within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a combined chair and couch, the com-- bination, with the seat, of a back hinged there= to, a standard and an arm pivotally secured to the seat and back respectively upon each side of the chair, said standard and arm be ing perforated and pivotally secured together, one of them being slotted and the other one fitting within said slot, a spring actuated plunger in the perforations in one side of the slotted memberand a push-button in the perforations of the other side, and a bolt in each of the perforations of the other member in the push-button when brought in alinement with the plunger.

2. In a combined chair and couch, the combination,with the seat, of a back hinged thereto, the upper end of the back being provided with a hinged portion, hinged arms pivotally secured at their ends to the seat and back respectively, a leg pivotally secured to the outer end of the back, means for limiting the movement of the leg in two directions, one of which comprises a lock upon the back near the seat for engaging with the free end of the leg and holding it in its folded position, and a brace secured to the leg and to the hinged portion of the back to raise the latter when the leg is extended.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Witnesses:

HENRY S. REDMAN, 7 JAMES COCHRANE. 

